Tie rod spanner



Dec. 20, 1966 MULUGAN 3,292,465

TIE ROD SPANNER Filed Dec. 4, 1964 9 a 650 26: 5. Muu IGAN United States Patent 3,292,465 TIE ROD SPANNER George E. Mulligan, Pico Rivera, Califl, assignor t0 Pendleton Tool Industries, Inc., Los Angeles, Calili, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 4, 1964. Ser. No. 416,076 6 Claims. (Cl. 81--90) The present invention relates generally to wrenches adapted for gripping and turning a cylindrical member; and more especially to wrenches having one fixed jaw and one movable or pivoted jaw to obtain the desired degree or type of adjustment in position of the wrench with respect to the workpiece. Wrenches of th s type are often referred to as pipe wrenches; but, as will become apparent from the following description, the wrench of the present invention is particularly designed for use in combination with a tie rod adjustable in length, as, for example, a tie rod found on' an automobile.

In automobiles having individual suspensions for the vehicle wheels, and particularly in the case of the front wheels which are mounted for steering the vehicle, the tie rod construction involves two or more sections, usually three, with adjoining sections connected by a threaded joint. The purpose of this threaded joint is to secure adjustability in the length of the tie rod in order to obtain the correct position of the wheel with respect to some fixed datum. The length of the tie rod is adjusted by rotating one section with resmct to another. Usually this tie rod construction takes the form of a center section connected at both ends by a threaded connection to terminal sections of the rod which are non-rotatably mounted.

In automotive installations, various problems are encountered in practice which make difiioult the desired manipulation of the tie rod. One common problem is the fact that, being exposed to weather, the threaded connection rusts. After this, it is very difiicult to break the joint loose to obtain the desired relative rotation of the parts.

Another particular problem encountered in this type of installation is the limited room within which it is possible to move a wrench. While this is especially true when the car is resting on the ground, it often is still a problem even when the car is on a hoist. This problem of limited access and room in which to work arises not only because of the fact that it is generally necessary to engage the workpiece of one particular location on the rod, but also there is often limited room within which to move the wrench handle for rotation of the workpiece. Hence there is not only the problem of obtaining the proper position of the wrench relative to the workpiece for engagement therewith but also of obtaining the necessary range of movement of the wrench handle.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a wrench of novel design which substantially overcomes or eliminates these various problems.

More especially, it is an object of the present invention to design a wrench which may be satisfactorily engaged with the tie rod in any rotational position of the tie rod and still allow for normal operational movement of the wrench.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wrench particularly designed for use in combination with a tie rod which is properly engageable with the tie rod over a wide range of positions of the wrench handle in order to permit what amounts to a ratchet action, without the necessity of any moving ratchet elements on the wrench handle for this purpose.

These and other objects of the invention have been achieved in a wrench of the character herein described 3,292,455 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 by providing a rigid, elongated handle having on one end a fixed jaw provided with a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth around the periphery of the jaw, said teeth being located at a substantially uniform distance from an axis transverse of said jaw; and a movable jaw pivotally connected to said fixed jaw to swing about said transverse axis, said movable jaw having work-engaging means at the outer or free end of the movable jaw.

The workpiece normally is a section of the tie rod having at each end an internally threaded bore and a narrow, axially elongated slot extending through the'wall of the workpiece at the threaded bore. The Work-engaging means on the movable jaw is preferably a short, inwardly engaging hook member which can'be engaged in the slot to establish one point of engagement between the wrench and "theworkpiece. The smooth exterior surface of the workpiece-is then engaged by a selected tooth or teeth on the fixed jaw, any of the teeth being suitable for this purpose, thus allowing the engagement of the fixed jaw with the workpiece through a Wide range of angular positions of the handle, preferably a range extending for more than degrees of angular movement.

How the above objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as others not specifically mentioned, are attained will be more readily understood by reference to the following description and to the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a fragmentary portion of a tie rod in an automobile wheel suspension and a wrench constructed according to the present invention engaged with a portion of that tie rod;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section through the tie rod showing a portion of the wrench in side elevation and in engagement with the tie rod, the preferred minimum range of handle positions being indicated;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the wrench engaging the tie rod for rotation in the opposite direction to that of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the wrench and tie rod on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the tie rod construction shown therein is well known and is used in the suspension for a front Wheel of an automotive vehicle. It is illustrative of the possible uses of the wrench constituting the present invention, but is not necessarily limitative upon the wrench in all of its aspects.

The tie rod indicated generally at 10 is connected at one end to arm 11 which may be a portion of the steering mechanism of the vehicle. The tie rod comprises a nonrotating section 12 which is attached to arm 11 in any suitable manner, typically by a ball-and socket joint 14. The other terminal section 15 of the tie rod is usually similar but is connected to the vehicle wheel, not shown, in any suitable manner.

The third or intermediate section of the tie rod is the section 17 which is provided with a threaded axial bore at each of its two ends. As may be seen clearly in FIG. 2, the two terminal sections of the tie rod 12 and 15 each have a threaded stud 18 and 19, respectively, which is received in one of the threaded bores of intermediate section 17.

At each end of rod section 17 there is a narrow, axially elongated slot 20 which is milled through the wall of the rod and opens at its inner face to the threaded bore. The axial length of the slot is not critical but is gene-rally about equal to or somewhat less than the length of the threaded bore. Surrounding the rod section 17 at the area of each slot 20 is a clamp 22 which can be tightened by means of bolt 23 in order to compress the intermediate section and cause it to grip the threaded stud tightly enough to prevent relative rotation between the intermediate section and the end sections. In this manner, any adjusted position is maintained. Only one such clamp is shown in FIG. 1 in order that the engagement of the wrench, later described, may be fully illustrated; but it will be understood that a similar clamp is provided at each end of the intermediate section 17.

The wrench of novel design is indicated [generally at 25. It comprises a rigid, elongated handle 26 provided at its outer end with grip 27 which may be provided with a knurled surface, as indicated. The head 29 of the handle at the inner end thereof constitutes the fixed jaw of the wrench. The peripheral surface of head 29 is provided with a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth 30 which are closely spaced apart and are all located at a substantially uniform distance or radius from axis 32 which extends transversely through the head or fixed jaw, as shown particularly in FIG. 4. For reasons which will become apparent, the arcuate extent of the teeth around the fixed jaw is greater than 180 degrees and is preferably as great as possible. As will be seen in FIG. 2, it is possible to arrange these teeth over. an arcuate extent of approximately 250 degrees.

Movable jaw 35 is pivotally connected .to the wrench handle by pin 36 which pases through the fixed jaw and is coaxial with axis 32. Pivot pin 36 may be held in place by any suitable means, and for this purpose is commonly made a drive fit in wrench head 29. The shapes of the handle and of the movable jaw are such that the jaw is free to swing through an arc of at least 180 degrees and preferably more.

At its outer end, movable jaw 35 is provided with suitable work-en-gaging means adapted to cooperate with the configuration of the tie rod, more especially, intermediate section 17, to effect a torque-transmitting engagement with the tie rod. A simple and satisfactory configuration of the movable jaw for this purpose is the arcuate shape shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in which the jaw terminates in an inward. ly extending angular projection 38. However, jaw 3-5 is not limited to the particular shape shown. The hooklike projection 38 extends across the full width of jaw 35, parallel to axis 32, and is made sufliciently narrow that it can enter slot in the workpiece. The inner face of hook 38 is flat in order that it can engage the fiat, longitudinal side wall of the workpiece at slot 20. Ordinarily the slot is cut with parallel side walls which are approximately but not precisely radial of the workpiece. Since they are symmetrically located with respect to the axis of the tie rod, the face of projection 38 engaging the side wall of the slot engages either side wall with equal bearing area.

To use the wrench, projection 38 is inserted in slot 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and then the fixed jaw 29 is lowered to bring teeth into contact with the smooth exterior surface of tie rod section 17. This engagement between the tie rod and the fixed jaw may be limited to one tooth or a pair of successive teeth but ordinarily will not involve more than two teeth unless the tie rod becomes indented, in which case the bearing between the fixed jaw of the wrench and the tie rod section may be distributed over as many as three teeth.

In any event, it will be seen that engagement of the wrench with the workpiece is limited to essentially two locations, the first is the engagement between projection 38 and the side wall of the slot 20 and the second is the engagement of one or more teeth 30 with the exterior surface of the workpiece. By reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that these two areas or locations of contact are spaced apart by more than 90 degrees around the perimeter of the tie rod, but are spaced apart for less than 180 degrees of the perimeter.

When a generally tangential force is applied to grip 27 to rotate the wrench around the axis of the tie rod, the force exerted by projection 38 on the workpiece is generally tangential of the workpiece. In other words, it tends to spread slot 20 and in so doing, enlarges the diameter of the internally threaded bore. This action assists in It will be appreciated that, as a preliminary to rotating 1 the workpiece, both clamps 22 are loosened so that they exert no compressive force on the workpiece. While both clamps may be entirely removed if desired, it is necessary usually only to slide one axially to expose slot 20 fully in order to receive the wrench. After the workpiece has beenrotated sufiicient-ly to achieve the. desired adjustment, then the clamps are tightened to hold the workpiece in adjusted position and against relative rotation.

FIG. 2 shows thewrench applied in order to rotate the workpiece in a clockwise direction about stud 18. It'will be apparent from the drawing that teeth 30 on the handle may be engaged with the exterior of the workpiece at any one of a number of handle positions between the full line position shown and the dotted line position shown.

These two positions are spaced degrees. apart and represent the minimum desirable range of engagement between the handle and the sleeve; but they are not the limiting positions since actually the full range is determined by the arcuate length of the row of teeth 30. For practical purposes, the handle may be considered as engageable with the workpiece at any position within the range of angular movement between the limiting positions; although in a strictly accurate sense, it maybe 1 en gagea ble only at closely spaced positions which are determined by the size, shape, and spacing of teeth 30.

For this reason, it is desiredthat there be a maximum number of closely spaced teeth 30, as shown.

Advantage can be taken of this fact not only to apply the wrench to the workpiece at any rotational position of slot 20 but also at any position of the handle with respect of the workpiece over a range of at least 180 degrees of handle positions. This characteristic of the fixed head or jaw of the wrench also permits movement of the handle and the workpiece through a small arc, followed by disengagement and then re-engagement of the handle after moving the handle in reverse direction for a short distance. This, in effect, is the same as a ratchet action, "but is accomplished without the necessity of any ratchet mechanism, other than the plurality of teeth 30.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the detailed design and shape of the parts constituting the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is considered as being illustrative of, rather than limitative upon, the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A Wrench of the character described comprising, in.

combination:

a rigid, elongated handle having at one end a fixed jaw with outwardly projecting teeth, said teeth being located at a substantially uniform distance from an axis transverse of said jaw;

and a movable jaw pivotally connected to said fixed jaw to swing about said transverse axis, said movable jaw being of generally arcua'te shape and terminating at its outer end in an inwardly extending work-engaging projection.

2. A wrench of the character described comprising, in

combination:

a rigid, elongated handle having at one end a fixed jaw with a plurality of outwardly projecting peripheral teeth, said teeth being located at a substantially uniform distance from an axis transverse of said jaw and along an arc of more than 180 degrees extent;

and a movable jaw pivotally connected at its inner end to said fixed jaw to swing about said transverse axis through an angle of more than 180 degrees, said movable jaw terminating at its outer end in an inward- 1y projecting, angularly shaped hook.

3. A wrench for turning a workpiece having a smooth, cylindrical external surface with an axially elongated slot therein, comprising:

a rigid, elongated wrench handle having at one end a head with a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth engageable with the exterior of the workpiece, said teeth being disposed at a substantially uniform distanoe about an axis transverse of said :head and substantially parallel to the axis of the workpiece;

and a movable jaw pivotally connected to the wrench handle to swing about said axis, said movable jaw having a terminal projection entering said slot and engaging one longitudinal wall thereof.

4. A wrench :as in claim 3 in which the length of the movable jaw is such that when the projection thereon is in said slot, one or more teeth on the head engage the workpiece more than 90 degrees of are away from the slot.

5. A wrench as in claim 3 in which the teeth on the head have an arcuate extent of more than degrees.

6. A wrench as in claim 3 in which one or more teeth operatively engage the workpiece at any position of the handle within a range of at least 180 degrees about said transverse axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 329,642 11/1885 Greenamyer 8198 364,961 6/ 1887 Sample 8199 582,341 5/ 1897 Campbell 8198 X 1,120,815 12/ 1914 Holland 8198 1,417,792 5/ 1922 Bartenstein 81-90 1,504,847 8/ 1924 Tarr 8190 1,795,048 3/ 1931 Schuh 81-90 2,981,132 4/ 1961 Gaskins 81-90 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,289 1901 Great Britain. 128,474 3/ 1919 Great Britain. 120,556 12/ 1947 Sweden.

WILLIAM FEL'DMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner. 

1. A WRENCH OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A RIGID, ELONGATED HANDLE HAVING AT ONE END A FIXED JAW WITH OUTWARDLY PROJECTING TEETH, SAID TEETH BEING LOCATED AT A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM DISTANCE FROM AN AXIS TRANSVERSE OF SAID JAW; AND A MOVABLE JAW PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIXED JAW TO SWING ABOUT SAID TRANSVERSE AXIS, SAID MOVABLE JAW BEING OF GENERALLY ARCUATE SHAPE AND TERMINATING AT ITS OUTER END IN AN INWARDLY EXTENDING WORK-ENGAGING PROJECTION. 